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Fines totalling €19,500 have been imposed on Irish Water for breaking environmental protection laws, following the discovery of sewage pollution at four water treatment plants.
The company, which was prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to 11 charges, in four separate cases, under Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) laws. The prosecutions related to water treatment plants in counties Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork.
Finalising the case, Judge John Brennan noted that save for one of the facilities, in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, all the plants were antiquated while Irish Water came into being relatively recently.
He also noted its co-operation with the EPA, its agreement to discharge prosecution costs and the lack of risk to public health.
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Four charges related to sewage overflowing at three waste water pump stations in Balbriggan last year. These led to a minor fish kill in a local river in May and Skerries beach being closed for the June bank holiday weekend. The EPA learned about the beach closure from media reports and it had not been reported to them by Irish Water as required, said EPA inspector Brendan Kissane.